IllinoisTimes - Politics - Rich Millerhttp://illinoistimes.com/articles.sec-52-1-politics-rich-miller.html
Tue, 03 Mar 15 00:00:00 -0600enhourly1Another reckless, delusional budgethttp://illinoistimes.com/article-15144-another-reckless-delusional-budget.html
Another reckless, delusional budget After he was elected, but before he was sworn in to office, Bruce Rauner repeatedly lambasted Gov. Pat Quinn and the legislative Democrats for passing a “booby trap” budget that was about to blow...]]>Rauner’s labor attacks continuehttp://illinoistimes.com/article-15124-rauner%25E2%2580%2599s-labor-attacks-continue.html
Rauner’s labor attacks continue More than a few Statehouse types have been wondering aloud for weeks what Gov. Bruce Rauner is up to with his almost daily attacks on organized labor. Just what, they ask, is the end game here?H...]]>A liberated Rauner lets loosehttp://illinoistimes.com/article-15099-a-liberated-rauner-lets-loose.html
A liberated Rauner lets loose I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a governor openly and loudly laughed at on the House floor. At least not while he was present.Gov. Bruce Rauner was doing pretty well with his legislative audi...]]>Legislators looking to move uphttp://illinoistimes.com/article-15073-legislators-looking-to-move-up.html
Legislators looking to move up Illinois State Sen. Daniel Biss appears to be the first Democrat to actively float his name for the 2016 special election for state comptroller. The Evanston Democrat is known as a policy wonk a...]]>Rauner’s promised changes are cominghttp://illinoistimes.com/article-15040-rauner%25E2%2580%2599s-promised-changes-are-coming.html
Rauner’s promised changes are coming Gov. Bruce Rauner didn’t completely close the door to higher taxes last week during a speech at the University of Chicago, but he made it very clear with what he said and what he did that he wants h...]]>Illinoisans want Statehouse peace http://illinoistimes.com/article-14999-illinoisans-want-statehouse-peace.html
Illinoisans want Statehouse peace A solid majority of Illinoisans want newly inaugurated Gov. Bruce Rauner to find common ground with the Democratic legislative majority rather than be confrontational, a new poll finds. However,...]]>Lessons from the comptroller battlehttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14979-lessons-from-the-comptroller-battle.html
Lessons from the comptroller battle We have likely received an early lesson in how the upcoming spring state legislative session will play itself out with new Republican Governor Bruce Rauner and a Democratic General Assembly.The Democr...]]>There’s a gaping hole in Illinois government http://illinoistimes.com/article-14944-there%25E2%2580%2599s-a-gaping-hole-in-illinois-government.html
There’s a gaping hole in Illinois government There’s little doubt that the late Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka would’ve continued her straight-talking ways during a Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner administration. Topinka was “good copy” for...]]>Remembering Judy Baar Topinka http://illinoistimes.com/article-14856-remembering-judy-baar-topinka.html
Remembering Judy Baar Topinka As you already know, Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka passed away last week.Topinka had a stroke the morning of Dec. 9 but that’s not what killed her. In fact, by the afternoon, she announced she was g...]]>Low-wage laborers deserve better http://illinoistimes.com/article-14828-low-wage-laborers-deserve-better.html
Low-wage laborers deserve better Months ago, Emanuel scheduled a vote on raising Chicago’s minimum wage for the week after the General Assembly’s annual fall veto session. After the election though, retailers, restaurant ow...]]>Nobody is a sure thing in Rauner administration http://illinoistimes.com/article-14766-nobody-is-a-sure-thing-in-rauner-administration.html
Nobody is a sure thing in Rauner administration Whenever a new governor is about to be sworn in, one of the most popular Springfield “parlor” games (which are usually not played in parlors, but in taverns, restaurants and friendly offices...]]>Will Rauner compromise or compete with Madigan?http://illinoistimes.com/article-14737-will-rauner-compromise-or-compete-with-madigan.html
Will Rauner compromise or compete with Madigan? Last December, Bruce Rauner appeared on a WLS Radio talk show program and revealed that he planned to form a new campaign committee to counter the power of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.“We...]]>Money, message, mug vital to Rauner victory http://illinoistimes.com/article-14706-money-message-mug-vital-to-rauner-victory.html
Money, message, mug vital to Rauner victory Bruce Rauner out-performed his fellow Republican Bill Brady’s 2010 gubernatorial election performance in every region of the state last week. As I write this, with less than half a percent of ...]]>A two-faced racehttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14676-a-two-faced-race.html
A two-faced race Some of you will read this column before the election, and some of you will read it after. I suppose I could’ve written two columns, but I’ve been kinda busy, so let’s talk about one of the weir...]]>The demotion of Dave McKinney http://illinoistimes.com/article-14638-the-demotion-of-dave-mckinney.html
The demotion of Dave McKinney Perhaps the worst thing to happen to journalism over the years is its simplistic overreliance on the mere “appearance of impropriety” to justify big, splashy stories.No actual wrongdoing nee...]]>Union shells out big bucks to defeat Rauner http://illinoistimes.com/article-14624-union-shells-out-big-bucks-to-defeat-rauner.html
Union shells out big bucks to defeat Rauner I wasn’t hugely surprised when Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers contributed $30,000 to the Illinois Libertarian Party’s candidate for governor, Chad Grimm, earlier this ...]]>Rauner’s tax fantasy doesn’t add up http://illinoistimes.com/article-14596-rauner%25E2%2580%2599s-tax-fantasy-doesn%25E2%2580%2599t-add-up.html
Rauner’s tax fantasy doesn’t add up The most important question asked of Bruce Rauner during last week’s gubernatorial debate in Peoria was posed by Jamey Dunn-Thomason of Illinois Issues.My pal pointed out that Kansas Gov. Sam...]]>The shape of Illinois leadership to comehttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14568-the-shape-of-illinois-leadership-to-come.html
The shape of Illinois leadership to come OK, so what we’re gonna do today is discuss some congressional races that you may or may not care about in order to talk about the governor’s race, which you probably do care about since you...]]>And the race continueshttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14537-and-the-race-continues.html
And the race continues Just a quick note to Bruce Rauner: The next time you try to claim that Gov. Pat Quinn is “personally” under federal investigation (an allegation that, as far as anyone can tell, is not true)...]]>Grumpy ole Bruce needs a boosthttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14511-grumpy-ole-bruce-needs-a-boost.html
Grumpy ole Bruce needs a boost Bruce Rauner reportedly had one of those bugs that were going around last week. I feel his pain. I was sick with one thing or another all week. Luckily, I took a little time off, or I’d probably hav...]]>The early campaigner gets the numbershttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14470-the-early-campaigner-gets-the-numbers.html
The early campaigner gets the numbers The Illinois House Democrats launched their direct mail and TV program weeks earlier than the House Republicans in an attempt to knock the GOP candidates down before they even had a chance to st...]]>An unlikely OK for Kayhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14447-an-unlikely-ok-for-kay.html
An unlikely OK for Kay The Illinois Education Association has always leaned more Republican than its Illinois Federation of Teachers counterpart, but at least one of the IEA’s endorsements raised a few eyebrows this...]]>Rauner ruse or candorhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14419-rauner-ruse-or-candor.html
Rauner ruse or candor “We should have billions of dollars every year as part of our budget process … (to) maintain and expand our infrastructure,” Bruce Rauner said last week, according to the Chicago Tribune.R...]]>Promote the votehttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14391-promote-the-vote.html
Promote the vote Some recent Chicago Tribune poll results appear to indicate that support for raising the minimum wage in the state’s largest city may be enough to increase voter turnout for a nonbinding November ba...]]>Fair share for Edgar?!http://illinoistimes.com/article-14358-fair-share-for-edgar_.html
Fair share for Edgar?! I’m not sure why, but the surprise appearance by former Gov. Jim Edgar at the Illinois State Fair’s Republican Day last week didn’t generate much media coverage. Despite the fact that Edga...]]>Feds back off of Fordhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14322-feds-back-off-of-ford.html
Feds back off of Ford As you probably know by now, the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago has agreed to drop all felony charges against Illinois state Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, and has charged him instead with a simpl...]]>Positively Pathttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14293-positively-pat.html
Positively Pat Gov. Pat Quinn’s new TV ad is 60 seconds of one positive message after another. “Pat Quinn sees problems, takes action and gets the job done,” the ad claims. “Now, Illinois is making a c...]]>Frerichs needs to up his gamehttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14268-frerichs-needs-to-up-his-game.html
Frerichs needs to up his game Back in January, state Sen. Michael Frerichs formally kicked off his campaign for Illinois state treasurer and posted a video online touting the fact that he’d ended “free, lifetime health care fo...]]>Public’s thoughts on Rauner’s economic planhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14231-public%25E2%2580%2599s-thoughts-on-rauner%25E2%2580%2599s-economic-plan.html
Public’s thoughts on Rauner’s economic plan “This morning,” 1,063 respondents were told the evening of July 17 during a Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll, “Republican candidate for governor Bruce Rauner released an economic plan for I...]]>Survey says: Transparency hurts Rauner and Quinnhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-14203-survey-says-transparency-hurts-rauner-and-quinn.html
Survey says: Transparency hurts Rauner and Quinn A new Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll found Republican Bruce Rauner leading Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn 51-39. That’s pretty much the same margin the pollster found for another client a month ago. The...]]>